A Dermatologist Explains Underarm Microwaving

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Evolutionarily, Miley's favorite hair look serves a purpose. That's right, underarm hair is thought to be a launching pad for our own unique, mate attracting, pheromones and, secondarily, pit hair is a built in shock absorber that protects the skin from chafing.

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Despite its biological significance, many women living in the U.S., England, and Australia, choose to remove underarm fuzz in favor of a hairless look. For those who shave, wax, and laser pits into smooth submission, a multi-tasking new treatment designed to treat hair, odor, and sweat promises to change the game forever.

Last month, Miramar® Labs announced that its MiraSmooth system received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of underarm hair. This makes it the only FDA cleared device able to treat underarm hair, odor and sweat. Over 40,000 procedures to eliminate underarm sweat have been done with good outcome. There's some swelling and pain following treatment, but discomfort is expected to subside within a few days."Its one stop shopping," says Tina Alster, MD Director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery.

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The hand-held device gets the job done by emitting microwaves, similar to the heat from the microwave in your kitchen. But unlike the waves that heat up dinner, super-precise MiraSmoothenergy focuses directly on the hair follicle or sweat gland. What's more, unlike lasers that only work on dark, coarse hair, microwave energy is color-blind. This means that all complexions andhair color can be treated, says Alster,a major coup, in the world of hair removal. While the treatment is only FDA approved for underarms, it's expected to expand in the near future.

Mona A. Gohara, MD, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Yale and an ​ELLE Beauty Genius.

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